Machine for operating in rock, coal, and the like



Oct. 7, 1952 l E. w. HURD 2,613,061

MACHINE FOR OPERATINGIN ROCK, COAL, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 22, 1951 4Sheet's-Sheet 1 MACHINEFOR OPERATING IN ROCK, COAL, AND THE LIKE FiledJan. 22 ,l 1951 E. W. HURD Oct. 7, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @MvwannPatented Oct. 7, 1952 MACHINE Foa OPERATING 1N noon, coAL,`

AND THE LIKE Eric Wilson Hurd, Sheffield, England, assigner to HardypickLimited, Sheield, England, a corporation of Great Britain and NorthernIreland Application January 22, 1951, Serial No. 207,218 In GreatBritain July 5, 1949 (Cl. Z55-51) 6 Claims. l

This invention relates to a machine for operating in rock, coal and thelike.

When drilling a working face for setting blasting charges it iscustomary to mount the drill on a vertical pillar which is heldinposition by being wedged between the iioor and ceiling. The drill ismoved along the pillar to the required position until a row of shotholes has been drilled at the required spacing. The pillar is then movedto a new position. This means that to complete the drilling of the facethe pillar has to be moved several times; moreover it is not always easyto mount the pillar so as to be able to drill shot holes near the side.I

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machinewhich will enable all the required shot holes to be drilled Withoutmoving the machine.

In a coal or rock working machine according to the present invention ajib is adapted to carry a drill unit or drill holder and is turnableabout a vertical axis, movable in a vertical plane, movable about itsown axis and adapted to carry said drill unit or drill holder forpivotal movement about an axis normal to the axis of the jib. The jibmay be mounted on a turntable which itself may be carried on a wheeledor track laying vehicle chassis.

Referring to the diagrammatic drawings illed herewith:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of machine A made according to thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan, parts being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the jib.

Fig. 3a is an extension of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is a plan of same.

Fig. 4a is an extension of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view, drawn to an enlarged scale, on theline V--V of Fig. 2.

In Figs. l to 4 inclusive, sheets l, 2, 3 and 4,

a self-propelled chassis I0, sheets l and 2, of the track laying type isprovided with wheels II, I2, at each side on which are carried tracksI3. Mounted Von the chassis slightlytowards the rear is a large toothedquadrant IlI horizontally disposed. Above the toothed quadrant andmounted for rotation over rollers I5 on the chassis is a turntable I3the axis of which is vertical. The movement of the turntable throughapproximately '70 is effected by a turntable operating hand wheel I1 cnashaft I8 which is journalled in a pillar I9 mounted on the turntable,the shaft having at its lower end a pinion in toothed engagement Withthelarge horizontal quadrant vrear thereof, the motors being coupled to andadapted to drive the shafts of the rear wheels I 2 in well known mannerthrough suitable reduction gears, the primary drive being by chainenclosed in the chain case 23.` Steering is effected by dual controllevers (not shown) in the known manner operating either or both ofr themotors. Two upstanding plates 24, Figs. 1 and 2, sheets 1 and 2, weldedto the top of the turntable I6 and located for the most part to the rearofthe centre and extending rearwardly, constitute brackets between whichis mounted a jib cradle 25 on horizontal trunnions 2B, Figs. l, 2 and 3,sheets 1, 2 and 3, provided thereon and located at one end thereof, thejournals 21 for which are provided in the plates 24 close to the`turntable operating hand wheel Il. Movement of the cradle 25 in avertical plane between the plates 24 is controlled by hydraulic jacks28, Fig. 1, sheet l, the cylinders of which are pivotally connected at2B tothe rear of the turntables I6 whilst the piston rods 30 of thejacks are pivotally connected at 3| to an elevating bracket 32 securedto thejib cradle 25,

the pump for the `jacks being enclosed within a housing 33, Fig. 2, andbeing actuated by a hand lever 34. The housing 33 is xed to a centralseat35 Vfor an operator of the machine, which seat also serves as atool-,box and is locatedon and situated at the rear of the turntable I3conveniently close to the turntable operating hand wheel I1. The centralbox seat 35 also serves as a convenient mounting for a switch box 35afor electrical switch gear one element of which feeds the chassispropelling motor switch box 35i)` through electrical lead 35e, thecurrent being supplied through a feed cable 36 led into the switch box35a.

Mounted and journalled in the jib cradle 25 is a hollow jib shaft 31,Figs. 3 and 4, provided with a worm wheel 38 whilst mounted on theoutside of the jib cradle in suitable bearings and arranged tangentiallyto the worm wheel and in mesh therewith, is a worm 39 on one end ofwhich isl mounted a jib rolling hand wheel 4G so that the jib shaft maybe rotated or rolled slowly on its axis through from zero in eitherdirec-tion to the desiredtangular position within the jib cradle selffeeding electrically driven self contained drill unit 44 supplied bycurrent from the switch box 35a, Fig. 2, by electrical lead-44a` andwith feed' and retraction control lever 45 and Bowden wire control 46mounted on the A.jibcradle-mounting. brackets 24. Pivotal movementothedrill unit" 44 about the mounting trunnions 4llfiscontrolled by a forkedlink rod 41, Figs. 3. and 4, dividedl intermediate of its ends andembodying a-stiff j' spring buler 48, the forked end of the 'link'rodbeing bifurcated and pivotally coupledto theihousing of the drill at "apoint spaced from the drill Yrnountingttrunnionsr. whilstv the other endv is pivotallycoupledV -at -49 to ahollow internally threadederod'Slwhich is--slidably mounted` in the hollow-jlb shaft 31.-- The rodl iscaused to bev4 projected or withdrawn by. turning. a drill angling..cranked .hand lever 5|- mounted at the rear end-.0f the jibcradle 25,.said hand lever being-*carried on a threadedshaft` 52 which; entersandengages the internally threaded rod 50.- Themovement-of..the-.bifurcated. link` rod-4l thus gives-the. drill unit-apivotal..movement .onits own -mountingvtrunnlons 43 withinthe journals42r which movement canfbe lockedin. any desired angular position ofthedrill unit.

The-function of -the bulTer springl,v shown in Figs.-3andai,isaembodledin the drll'unit angling control to allow..thedrilllunit 44 Yto tilt-on its pivots to relieve any strainvvhichwoulcLotherwise fall.v on -the drilltool or the drill shaft..

Inhoperation, -the. angle at which the. drill unit 44`is4presented'canflie-varied. by rolling .the double boom -jib 4linthejibcradle 255through.y the medium ofV the jib rolling hand. wheel40.1and/or by. pivoting. the .drilllunit .in the end ofthe. jib bymeansofV the drillanglinghand lever 5l. The dri-ll unit .mayv be directed-tothe desired `point onl raising or lowering...thejib.by the actuation ofthe pump. .hand lever 34 which Works thev pump for the jacksZBland/orfby-svvivellingxthe turns. table -I 6 vby ,-turning. theturntableactuating 'hand wheelfl'l.

By arrangingthatthe drilling tool '53'operates onan.aXiswl-ich'intersectsthe axis of the drill mountingtrunnions43,'thethrust from drilling is taken by .said trunnionsand theirjournals 4,2 in the jlb. Furthervby.arrangingsaid `trunnions and thedrilling tool. near a boundary of the body of the "drillunit'saiddrilling tool operates with verv small loss of headroom.

It will;` therefore, be seen `from the chain lines inpl'an view; Fig/2L`how the drillunit 44 can be disposed onits sidebj/"swingingthesjib 4 fto right or'leftiand" rolling it Onitsv axis through 90' at eitherfsidefrom Zero,y thereby enabling the' drill unit to operate substantially atthe-extreme sides of the-Working face154 -ofthecoal Similarly, bysuitably-*lowering the'jibU--4I and' rolling it on its axis' through180V? from'zero; the-'dri1l'-unit'wil1 bfdi's'p'osed inaninvertedposition to-operatel'substantia-lly yat any point- -in'the-'lowermost Apart of thewor'ki'ng face154;

Itl'is Vto bevnoted'- that all l'controls-'are arranged within" easyreach of the operative when the latter Vis seated o'nthel'iousing33"Suitable -lampsf are provided on the machine 4 to enable lt to beoperated below ground and all electrical equipment is enclosed andswitch gear is housed in flame proof boXes to comply with mineregulations.

Where it is required that the` turntable shall be capablebf being lockedin any'desireddrilling position, a friction type clutch arrangement isprovided between the pillar I9 and shaft I8, and carried by a flangedsleeve 60 non-rotatably Y mounted ontlieilpillar I9 adjacent the upperend thereof and supported by an integral flange 6| of the pillar..Disposed around the sleeve 6D between and in' eontaotzwitlr a pair o1friction rings 62, 63 thereonisatsteel. .ring 64, the friction ring 62engaging the. flange 65 of the sleeve and the friotibrr ring :613engaging a steel ring 66 which is slidablykeyed to the sleeve tu andsupported by aflockingijring 6l having screw-threaded engagement withthe sleeve 60,!the flange 6| of the pillar I 9.-. serving as--lastop..for preventing....the locking ring 6'1 from becoming completelyunscrewed-irom the. sleeve .60. Fonrotating.. the locking ring-.61, atleast one v,arm 68'. is.y pivotall-yl. slung.V ,therefromThe-.arrangement is such .that when the locking ring 617is slackenedVoil Ythe -ring 6451s free to rotate around the sleeve Bbut When-.saidlocking ring.` is tightened against the ring 66, the ring .64 is heldagainst rotation through beingclampedto the frictionringsrLSSf- The ringv64 is. providedwith .an aperturer69, adjacent its periphery, whichisnormally engaged by the-lower end of va spring-,urgedzdetent 'moar-.-ried in the hand wheel I'i by,afslidable-pin--JL The detent Ylll is.normally urgedlnto. engagement with. the aperture. Saof .the ring..A64M-by means-:of a coiled spring. 'l'2` bearing. .against ashoulder 13on the detent l0 and the end wall 14 orafsocketl inthe hand wheel l. Thep in....1lis.provided with'a head. 16.1`

When Yit. lis. desired. to rotate the=v-turntab1e TI 6,. the.lockingring 5l isfrotated.V andeslackenedtby manipulating. `the arm 68until. the clamping pressure of. thefric'tion rings fand -upon-.thering64 is relieved-'andthe handl wheel I1 rotated until'the desired.angularmovementfof. the `turn-- table .is attained... Thelockingringc'-can thenbe tightened to lock the ring 64 to the sleeverandso to the pillar i9, to. lock -thezturntablein a particular drillingposition. Ifwa temporary alteration inthe angular positionof theturntable becomes necessary, ithbeing.requiredsubsequently. to returnit.to .said 'angular position, the detent l10' is' raised, out ofengagement with the aperture S9 bypullingonthepin 'Hy against the springl2,""when.-ridingf.over. the yring..64..l To reset the turntable in theoriginal. angular .position, it is only necessaryto' rotate thehandwheel II until the detent`1Uldropsintoits aperture -69 i'n`the ring'154;i

It is .tobe understood Athat instead'.v of the various mechanisms,being.brought intov operae tin by manually controlledy'meansashereinbefdredescrib'ed and. shownytliey may .be arranged to be.power operated and brought intooperation' by eleotricalcontrolmeans/suchas.-for..example; by pushebutton switches.; 1

A pivotedji'bl support"` andassociated'f clamp (not showrr)` 'maybe'provided'.- on'fthe turntable what i claim and desire te secure byLetters Pateritisf 1.; In a @parte rock working mahiae the commatten ertitane turnable arent a vertical axis, mearisfor`V 'adjusting saidturntable; a jib carrying` cradle carried on said turntable andpivotally mounted thereon at one end for movement in a vertical plane,means for adjusting said jib carrying cradle in a vertical plane, ahollow shaft journalled in said jib carrying cradle for rotation aboutits own Aaxis and movable with said jib carrying cradle, means foradjusting `said hollow shaft about its own axis, a jib l'member which isbifurcated at its outer end, said jib'member being coe'axial with saidhllow shaft and secured thereto at its inner end, a drill unit pivotallycradled 'in the bifurcated end of said jib member for movement about anaxis normal to the axis of the jib member said pivot intersecting theaxis of the drill, and drill unit angle adjusting means comprising a rodmember mounted in said jib carrying cradle for lateral movement inrelation thereto together with associated lateral motion means, and asecond rod member pivotally secured to the upper end of the latter andpivotally secured to said drill unit for rotational movement `of thelatter about its pivoting axis.

2. In a coal or rock working machine the combinationof a turntableturnable about a vertical axis, means for adjusting said turntable, ajib carrying cradle carried on said turntable and pivotally mountedthereon at one end for movement in a vertical plane, means for adjustingsaid jib carrying cradle in a vertical plane, a. hollow shaft journalledin said jib carrying cradle for rotation about its own axis and movablewith said `jib carrying cradle, means for adjusting said hollow shaftabout its own axis, a jib member which is bifurcated at its outer end,said jib member being co-axial with said hollow shaft and securedthereto at its inner end, a drill unit pivotally cradled in thebifurcated end of said jib member for movement about an axis normal tothe axis of the jib member said pivot intersecting the axis of thedrill, and drill unit angle adjusting means comprising a rod membermounted in said jib carrying cradle for lateral movement in relationthereto together with associated lateral motion means and a second rodmember pivotally and flexibly secured to the upper end of the latter andpivotally secured to said drill unit for rotational movement of thelatter about its pivoting axis.

3. In a coal or rock working machine the combination of a transportablecarriage having mounted thereon a turntable turnable about a verticalaxis, means for adjusting said turntable, a jib carrying cradle carriedon said turntable and pivotally mounted thereon at one end for movementin a vertical plane, means for adjusting said jib carrying cradle in avertical plane, a hollow shaft journalled in said jib carrying cradlefor rotation about its own axis and movable with said jib carryingcradle, means for adjusting said hollow shaft about its own axis, a jibmember which is bifurcated at its outer end, said jib member beingco-axial with said hollow shaft and secured thereto at its inner end, adrill unit pivotally cradled in the bifurcated end of said jib memberfor movement about an axis normal to the axis of the jib member saidpivot intersecting the axis of the drill, and drill unit angle adjustingmeans comprising a rod member mounted in said jib 'carrying cradle forlateral assoc a odfmhibei pivotally secured to the upper end l of `thelatter aridjoivhtally secured tosaid drill unit for-tational movement ofthe latter about its ivtihg axis. i i

"v4, In a `ical or rock working machine the combin'ati fof a`transportable carriage having iinted theie'n, a-'tiirntable turnableabout a vergtrcai for adjusting said turntable, a in ying cradle carriedonusaid turntable and* etal-ly mounted thereon at one end for rnveiiihta vertical plane, means for adjusting said jibcarrying cradle in avertical plane, a `hbllctvfshaft jcunall'ed in said jlb carrying cradlefor `rotation about its own axis and movj able' 'with said jibcarryingcradlameans for adjusting said hollw shaft aboutits own axis, ajib member which is bifurcated at its outer end, said jib member beingco-axial with said hollow shaft and secured thereto at its inner end, adrill unit pivotally cradled in the bifurcated end of said jib memberfor movement about an axis normal to the axis of the jib member saidpivot intersecting the axis of the drill, self feed and self retractingmeans associated with said drill unit, and drill unit angle adjustingmeans comprising a rod member mounted in said jib carrying cradle forlateral movement in relation thereto together with associated lateralmotion. means and a second rod member pivotally secured to the upper endof the latter and pivotally secured to said drill unit for rotationalmovement of the latter about its pivoting axis.

5. In a coal or rock working machine the combination of a tracklayingvehicle having mounted thereon a turntable turnable about a verticalaxis, means for adjusting said turntable, a jib carrying cradle carriedon said turntable and pivotally mounted thereon at one end for movementin a vertical plane, jib elevating hydraulic jack means for adjustingsaid jib carrying cradle in :a vertical plane, a hollow shaft journalledin said jib caro associated between said hollow shaft and said jibcarrying cradle, a jib member which is bifurcated at its outer end, saidjib member being l co-axial with said hollow shaft and secured theretoat its inner end, a drill unit pivotally` -cradled in the bifurcated endof said jib member :for movementabout an axis normal to the axis of thejib member said pivot intersecting the axis =of the drill,` self feedand self retracting means associated with said drill unit, and drillunit angle adjusting means comprising a o rod member .mounted in saidjib carrying cradle for lateral movement in relation thereto togetherwith associated lateral motion means and a second rod member pivotallyand flexibly secured to the upper -end of the latter and pivotallysecured to said drill unit for rotational movement of the latter :aboutits pivoting axis.

6. In a coal or rock working machine the combination of a tracklayingvehicle having mounted thereon a turntable turnable about a verticalaxis, means for adjusting said turntable, a jib carry- .ing cradlecarried on said turntable and pivotally mounted thereon at one endformovement in a` vertical plane, jib elevating hydraulic jack means foradjusting said jib carrying cradle in a vertical plane, a hollow shaftjournalled in said `jib carrying cradle for rotation about its own tedlateral motion means and a second` axis and movable with said J'ibcarrying cradle, means for adjusting said hollow shaft about its ownaxis comprising a worm and Worm-wheel mechanism associated between saidhollow shaft and said jib carrying cradle, a jib member which isbiiurcated at its outer end, said jib member being co-aXial withsaid'hollow shaft and secured thereto at its inner end, a drill unitpivotally cradled in the bifurcated end of said jlb member for movementabout an axisfnormal to the axis of the jib member said pivotintersecting the axis of the drill, self feed and self retractingmeans-associated with said Ydrill unit, and drill unit angle adjustingmeans comprising a rod member mounted in said jib carrying cradle forlateral movement in relation thereto together .with associated lateralmotion means, a second rod member pivotally and exibly secured to theREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent: i

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,060,814 Lewis NOV. 17, 19362,415,205 Gartin Feb. 4, 1947 2,491,273 Lehner Dec. 13, 1949 2,500,932Curtis et al Mar. 21, 1950

